Emile Makhlouf

Representative Office of Ireland, Ramallah

The highlight of my year was the finalisation of the Country Strategy 2015 – 2018 which sets out our engagement with Palestine.  It was developed by the Mission in close consultation with Headquarters and it was prepared within the policy frameworks of The Global Island and One World One Future.  It also takes account of the Palestinian National Development Plan.

Ireland’s engagement here is driven by the high political importance of the Middle East Peace Process. The Country Strategy addresses both political and humanitarian/developmental issues.

My area of work is focused mainly on the humanitarian and developmental sides.  This includes direct humanitarian support to the most needy, particularly to Palestine refugees, delivered through UNRWA across its five fields of operation. Today there are 5 million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Improved Human Development actions include support to civil society in both Israel and Palestine that reflects Ireland’s longstanding commitment to the development of a viable, sovereign Palestinian state, living in peace alongside the State of Israel. These two fields of action clearly overlap and complement each other to a very great extent.